[Hormone treatment of prostate cancer in Norway]

Abstract

Background: The aim of our study was to determine the association between hormone treatment of prostate cancer and survival for those affected.

Material and methods: Data were retrieved from several official Norwegian registries on hormone treatment, cancer in various stages, and the use of radical prostatectomies and external beam radiation therapy with curative intent.

Results: The number of patients treated with hormones has risen 10-fold during the last decade. GnRH analogues and/or bicalutamide are used to treat more than 90 % of patients. The counties that use radical prostatectomy most frequently also have the most pronounced increase in hormone treatment and the increases in parallel over time. A cohort of Norwegian men will have a net loss of 1025 patient-years over a 10-year period if the number of patient-years gained and lost is calculated with current treatment practice and based on the number of radical treated and hormone-treated patients and expected survival with prostate cancer in Norway and expectations according to randomised, controlled studies on radical treatment and hormone treatment in general.

Interpretation: There are reasons to discuss whether the extent of hormone-treatment and radical treatment should be reduced. A reduction would be most easily achieved by reducing wild-screening of PSA in serum.